Work in quarters

Close up of 2 pieces of blue wax on a bench peg. Left a square with center lines marked on top, right a ring divided in 4 with marker and numbers from 1-4 written in each section

See what you’re doing

Whatever you do, there’s always a part of the piece you’re working on that you can’t see. Your fingers obscure parts of it because of the way you hold it.

Close up of hands holding a blue wax ring, botgtom left corner is covered with a thumb. Other hand is holding a file on the right side of the ring

Our tools are big and can cover parts of it. Even the wax hides parts of itself by the way you have it angled.

Close up of hands holding a blue wax ring, you can only see the part right in front, the rest of the ring is hidden from view by th efront section

Since you never see the entire piece anyway, get methodical about it. Divide your piece in quarters and work on it a quarter at a time. You work on the quarter of the piece you can see best.

Close up of hands holding a blue wax ring, left thumb holding the ring is covering section 3, the file is against section 1

When you’re done you move the piece so a new quarter comes in this best spot and work on that.

Close up of hands holding a blue wax ring, left thumb holding the ring is covering section 4, the file is against section 2

Do this 2 more times and you’ve worked on the entire piece!

2 side by side photos. Left close up of hands holding a blue wax ring, left thumb holding the ring is covering section 1, the file is against section 3, reft close up of hands holding a blue wax ring, left thumb holding the ring is covering section 2, the file is against section 4

No need to hope that what you’re doing is good because you can’t really see what’s happening. By working in quarters you always see what you’re doing! You don’t have to actually draw the quarter division on your piece (unless you want to of course), you can just divide it in your head.

Everything has a different best quarter

The quarter of your piece you can see best changes all the time. When I hold a piece angled towards myself like this I can see the bottom quarter best.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue square wax with a hole in the center. The piece is angled towards the camera and the other hand is burring the bottom quarter of the hole. You can't see the top quarter and the sides are partially obscured as well

But when I hold the same piece angled away from myself like this, I can see the top quarter best.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue square wax with a hole in the center. The piece is angled away from the camera and the other hand is burring the top quarter of the hole. You can't see the bottom quarter and the sides are partially obscured as well

I’m doing the exact same thing. But the way I hold the piece changes where I work.

It also depends on what feels easier and more natural to do. When I mark using the inside of the ring as my guide I go left to right and work in the left quarter.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue ring wax. Right hand is marking a line on the ring. The inside of the ring is used as the guide, already marked line is on the left

But when I mark using the outside of the ring as my guide I go right to left and work in the right quarter.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue ring wax. Right hand is marking a line on the ring. The outside of the ring is used as the guide, already amrked line is on the right

The best thing you can do is hold your work in a position you find comfortable. It’s different for every piece you work on, every technique you use. Once you’re holding your piece comfortably find the quarter you can see best. And then you work on that quarter.

Hopefully the quarter you can see best is in a place you can easily reach with your tools. If it’s not adjust the way you hold your piece until you find a middleground between holding your piece comfortably and working on it easily.

Repetition

It sounds boring but repetition really makes things easier.

You’re holding your piece comfortably, you’re working in the quarter you can see best. It’s easy to move the tool you're using. You know what you’re doing now. So continue doing that!

You know the exact amount of pressure you need to put on your file when you file it in your best quarter.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue ring wax. Left hand is holding the ring in quarter 3, right hand is filing at quarter 1 which is in the best and easiest spot to work on

Why file longer in a different quarter because you can’t apply the same amount of pressure on your file?

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue ring wax. Left hand is holding the ring in quarter 3, right hand is filing at quarter 4 which is in a more difficult to reach spot making filing uncomfortable

You don’t need to figure out how to do the same thing at every quarter. In ways that become more and more uncomfortable and tiring for your arms as you go along.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue ring wax. Left hand is holding the ring in quarter 4, right hand is filing at quarter 3 which is in a more difficult to reach spot making filing uncomfortable

Just keep doing the same thing in the same place. Easy!

Same angle

When you work in the same quarter it’s also easier to keep your tools at the same angle the entire time.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue ring wax. Right hand is marking a line with dividers using the inside of the ring as a guide. Dividers are straight and the point of the guiding leg of the divider is near the top

When you move to a different quarter the movement of your hand starts to change and the angle of your tool changes with it. You won’t realize it’s happening until you look at what you’ve done and you see it’s lopsided.

Close up of hands holding a piece of blue ring wax. Right hand is marking a line with dividers using the inside of the ring as a guide. Dividers are angled towrds the inisde of the ring and the point of the guiding leg of the divider is farther down in the ring

Why change something that’s working? Work your piece a quarter at the time for the best results.

Less slipping

You ever use your dividers on a piece and suddenly slip and leave a big scratch? Or your burr catches and slithers over the surface leaving marks? Slipping and accidentally scratching your piece happens with all the tools.

Close up of a piece of blue ring wax on a bench peg. A line has been marked over the ring and you can see that it slipped near the top with a scratch mark

One of the reasons it happens? When the angle you’re working at changes. The movement you are making with your tool works at this angle in this quarter. But when you move to a different quarter and change the angle, the movement no longer works and you slip. When you work on the same quarter you have better control of the angle and pressure so your chances of slipping reduce!

Comment below and let me know if these tips were helpful!